Monday, June 13, 2016

A Visit to Middlesex County

On Sunday I took a tour of SW Middlesex County. There are lots of pastures, unlike Chatham-Kent, that one can see some grassland birds.
Dickcissels were reported West of Strathroy over a week ago. Unfortunately these birds picked a hay field that was due to be cut along Winter Drive. One field to the north had already been cut, but a couple of birds were still singing.

I also came across another singing bird near the corner of McDougall and Sexton.
Grasshopper Sparrows are still fairly plentiful and I came across quite a few.

Upland Sandpipers can be found as well.

After seeing the Dickcissels, I headed down Napier Road where singing Clay-colored Sparrows can be found. They like a spruce plantation and are there every year. I was not able to get any photos.

My first walk was at Clark Wright CA just SW of Strathroy. It is a neat little place with a good variety of birds and butterflies.

The past few years a White-eyed Vireo has frequented the place, but this year, or at least recently, a Blue-headed Vireo has been there.

Breakfast!

Pine Warblers nest here as well, and American Redstarts are present. I also came across a Blue-winged Warbler yesterday, but the lens of my camera could not find it!

Not far away is Strathroy Lagoons. It is easily accessible to the public off Pike Street. At times, it can be good for shorebirds. A couple of years ago I found an American Avocet there, and it seems to me a Snowy Plover was there once in the past.
This day, a late Semipalmated Plover was there with 4 Semipalmated Sandpipers.

Very Distant!

After this stop, I zig-zagged back to the county line at Argyll and Watterworth Roads. A piece of Crown Land here hosts Hooded Warbler and Acadian Flycatcher among other warblers of interest.
It was extremely windy, so I could not hear much. A couple of years ago a Magnolia Warbler was here in the breeding season.

Red-spotted Purple, more or less!

I drove through Skunk's Misery as well and walked one trail. The Mourning Warbler was still stuck singing a Common Yellowthroat song along Sassafras Road.

My last walk was at Wardsville Woods. I like this place!

A nice butterfly in the form of a Baltimore Checkerspot was present. In fact, I saw two of them.

I was home by noon, and in the afternoon took a walk through the woods at Reid CA where you can find some impressive trees.